My Thoughts: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.
** eARC received through NetGalley and HarlequinUK**


Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry has been everywhere! I am fairly certain it is the most talked about contemporary novel since Anna and the French Kiss. Although I wouldn't compare the two stories, they are VERY different. However, in terms of most talked about contemporary books... well, you know what I mean. It's been very popular, and I now understand why.

I am just going to come out and say it. Every good thing that has been said about this book is true! It is a completely amazing story. I don't know what else to say. It is incredible. It totally lives up to the hype. Absolutely. I hummed and hawed about this book for weeks. I remember even picking it up at Walmart to buy, but thinking better of it and put it down. WHY? I am really disappointed that it took me so long to read this book.

Because there are SO many other reviews out there and everyone and their sister has read it. I'm not going to go very deep with this review.  I do want to talk about some of the things that made me really enjoy this novel.

I really love seeing characters grow in a novel. I love seeing them mature and realize themselves. However, authors often forget to do this or they simply don't know how. McGarry definitely knows how to develop her characters and she writes them to their fullest potential. It was an absolute pleasure to read.

Echo and Noah were broken. They were sad and hopeless. Both had been dealt a bad hand. They both had issues-serious issues- that they needed to sort through, they couldn't move forward until they did. What's really cool about Pushing the Limits is that Echo and Noah don't save each other. The author doesn't make their relationship the miracle cure. That is AWESOME. I hate when a girl finds herself and is suddenly healed because a boy loves her. This is not reality. What is reality is how they are able to be a friend to one another. They are able to be supportive and understanding. This isn't how it starts and their friendship and eventual romantic relationship isn't perfect. It has struggles and they are each insecure in their own way. It was endearing.

The struggles that Noah and Echo are dealing with are very real and very hard. I want to say that Mrs Collins the school psychologist is the most amazing character. I loved her. I wanted her to be my school psychologist. She was incredible and she was able to be all that both our protagonists needed. So supportive. her encouragement and words of wisdom often brought me close to tears. I loved her.

One thing we need to remember is that Pushing the Limits is a contemporary YA novel. So it has it's fill of corny and groan worthy parts. Of course it does. Usually this bothers me. I dislike the cliches and the lovey dovey stuff, it drives me insane. But I was so engrossed in the story to care about this stuff.

Overall, Pushing the Limits has an actual story and real issues. I would encourage you all to read this novel. You will not be sorry. I can't wait to read more from McGarry.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

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